hi guys.
i was an active member of this forum many years ago and it played an integral part of my awakening and making peace with my decision to leave.
it’s been a while since i posted here.
Thanks for sharing your story.
With each persons experience, we all learn.
Did you know that the Society has "softened" their stand on how to deal with those who take blood in the latest elders manual?
Now it says that if it can be determined that the individual was under extreme emotional stress then loving counsel may be appropriate.
I will set aside my thoughts on them and their "loving counsel" but I did want you to know that is in print in their manual.
pimo verified this at the latest assembly attended.
check on this forum.
he was giving us attendance and baptism info and this was a side note... it is noted by another that when the question was asked after assembly was over, non seemed to hear the change.
I have a theory on that...
In testifying before the Australian Committee, Governing Body member Jackson was asked:
"Do you [the GB] see yourselves as Jehovah God's spokespeople on earth?"
his answer was:
"Ah, that I think would seem to be quite presumptuous, to say that we [the GB] are the only spokesperson that God is using."
You know the JW lawyers were all over that testimony. They know full well that these child abuse cases can bring them to their knees financially and they want to anticipate and limit that future liability.
No one plays with words more than the "artful dodger JWs". So I think there must be some connection (in their minds at least) between needing to appear as though everything is coming straight from God to them as leaders of the religion while simultaneously being able to distance themselves from elders and others in positions of authority within the religion who abuse children.
They realize its too hard to defend a direct line between God -->Holy Spirit--->Governing Body----> local appointed men.
So they are breaking it up and waffling around the perceived libelous connections by statements like Jackson made above.
Other steps they have taken since then are
- Appointing elders locally under the direction of a Circuit Overseer rather than the headquarters
- Changing the wording about the Holy Spirit in the baptism questions.
So that is my theory on why we see such attention to "wordage" about the Holy Spirit by the JW leadership.
that is how much coffee me and another elder went through as we camped out all night until 7 a.m. outside the home where suspected jw fornicators we're staying.
little did i know what a powerful contrast that would prove to be when as an elder i was faced with another case involving the allegation of severe child sexual abuse.
we disfellowshipped the couple based completely on circumstantial evidence of sexual wrongdoing because they simply "stayed the entire night".
Solzhenitsyn its all good. When we know better, we do better!
The posts here take me back. I have seen so much of this having grown up with a high control elder father who delighted in intrigues and spying.
I wonder what makes this so prevalent among JWs?
I guess it is never good to tell someone they are a stand-in for God.
amber recently published a book about her ex-jw experiences in china.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/31/opinion/sunday/life-after-death.html?action=click&module=opinion&pgtype=homepage.
I read the excerpt. She writes really well.
remember when we were jws and all loved to hear demon stories?
and then there was always that paranoid person that would shut us up "in case they're listening"?
and the resident crazy every congregation seems to have that claims to have been possessed at some point?.
Pale, I am sorry you feel such a failure at the demon summoning but your picture of the witch burning the Bible is a great photograph. Well done!
"everything we do in the truth is voluntary" ... something i heard many times.
does that include reporting ministry?.
https://youtu.be/chgdiof05bk.
Do they still turn in reports?
alyssa milano is saying that women have to go on a sex strike to take control of their bodies.
what do you think about this?.
I was trying to be kind?
i know i already created a post about this a week or so ago, but i have a little more to add to it.
i was watching it again and taking some notes this time.
the speaker lists these reasons for people having anxieties:.
Particularly I noticed #4 on Bournes list.
JWs are known (at least by me) for having terrible diets.
The leadership does nothing to educate them about how to pick a healthy diet nor does it encourage them to even consider it.
alyssa milano is saying that women have to go on a sex strike to take control of their bodies.
what do you think about this?.
She makes me want to go on a "Grade B actresses who think they know anything about social culture" strike.
witnesses brag about their brotherhood and incredible love that exists within the organization.
they say they are really the only true religion.
is the jw religion the closest thing to jesus christ himself?.
Worst thing?
The arrogance at the top.
The blind belief at the bottom.
